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7 seized: SS sinks Fish, is Giant at dish

By
Patrick Pinak and Glenn SattellMLB.com

MIAMI -- Brandon Crawford tied an all-time single-game National League record with a franchise-record seven hits, including the go-ahead single off Andrew Cashner in the 14th inning, to power the Giants to an 8-7 win over the Marlins on Monday night at Marlins Park.

With the win, the Giants remain a game ahead of the Dodgers for first place in the National League West. The Marlins fell to 7 1/2 games back of the NL East-leading Nationals and are tied with the Cardinals for the second NL Wild Card.

MIAMI -- Brandon Crawford tied an all-time single-game National League record with a franchise-record seven hits, including the go-ahead single off Andrew Cashner in the 14th inning, to power the Giants to an 8-7 win over the Marlins on Monday night at Marlins Park.

With the win, the Giants remain a game ahead of the Dodgers for first place in the National League West. The Marlins fell to 7 1/2 games back of the NL East-leading Nationals and are tied with the Cardinals for the second NL Wild Card.

San Francisco's Buster Posey was banged up on an awkward headfirst slide into third base in the 11th inning, slamming his jaw against the bag. Despite hearing it from his teammates, Posey was in good spirits and said he was fine after the game.

"I went from making the coolest play in my career in the beginning of the game to making the worst," Posey said of his first-inning attempt to throw out Dee Gordon at second. "I always say that this game will humble you quickly."

The five-hour, 34-minute game featured 17 different pitchers, but before Miami's 'pen squandered a 5-1 lead in the seventh, Jose Fernandez turned in another solid home start. He held the Giants to one run on six hits over six innings in a no-decision. The right-hander has now thrown six or more innings for a team-leading 17th time this season.

"We let the lead slip away there in the seventh, but we bounced back -- they bounced back, and from there it was crazy," Mattingly said..

San Francisco right-hander Johnny Cueto didn't have his best stuff, and Miami made him pay. The veteran lasted five innings, yielding five runs on six hits, two of which were home runs. Cueto is still winless in the second half, as he's gone 0-3 with a 5.02 ERA in five starts.

MOMENTS THAT MATTEREDRally time: In a five-run seventh, San Francisco recorded six consecutive hits, including Hunter Pence's game-tying RBI single. The Giants then took the lead on Brian Ellington's first pitch to Eduardo Nunez -- a wild pitch that allowed Crawford to scurry home. The hits with men on were a welcomed sign considering the team was hitting just .170 with runners in scoring position over its previous 10 games. San Francisco finished 6-for-21 with runners in scoring position and left 18 on base Monday.

"Baseball games come down to situational hitting. That's the name of the game," said Giants bench coach Ron Wotus, who took over managerial duties with Bruce Bochy hospitalized due to an illness. "I don't know how many we stranded. Eighteen? That's not the way you want to do it. On the other side of it, these guys didn't quit. It would've been easy for them to quit in tonight's game."

Back-to-back: The Marlins hit back-to-back homers in the fifth inning to extend their lead to 5-1. Prado lined a 3-2 pitch over the left-field wall for a two-run shot, and two pitches later it was Yelich going yard to right-center that cleared the 392-foot sign.

Long ball strikes again: For a team that has had trouble limiting home runs of late, things looked promising for the Giants until the fifth inning. In the blink of an eye, Cueto surrendered back-to-back blasts to Prado and Yelich, marking the second time in as many starts Cueto's given up two home runs. Since the All-Star break, San Francisco has allowed a National League-most 35 home runs in 22 games.

"He got some pitches up and out over the plate," Wotus said. "It happens to everybody. Johnny's a pitcher. I'm not concerned about what he does for us out there."

Glovely: Marlins shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria made a most improbable play to end the 11th inning and leave the Giants with the bases loaded and nothing to show for it. On a hard-hit ball in the hole between short and third, Hechavarria laid out and not only made an incredible stop on the edge of the outfield grass, but in the same motion threw back to second base for the force out there to keep the score tied at 7.

"We didn't do much [offensively] after the seventh inning," Mattingly said. "We really didn't have many chances [to break the 7-7 tie]."

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDSCrawford became the first player in 41 years to record seven hits in a game. The last to do so was Pittsburgh's Rennie Stennett on Sept. 16, 1975, in a nine-inning game against the Cubs. Additionally, Crawford is one of just five players to have seven hits in a game since 1913.

IN-GAME TRIBUTEIchiro Suzuki entered the game for the Marlins in the sixth inning as a pinch-hitter. It was his first at-bat at Marlins Park since reaching 3,000 hits on Sunday. The game was momentarily delayed prior to his at-bat as the crowd rose to its feet for a standing ovation while the scoreboard replayed Ichiro's milestone hit. He grounded out to second in his only plate appearance on Monday. More >

AFTER FURTHER REVIEWThe Marlins challenged a call at second base in the first inning. Gordon was called out on a steal attempt in which Posey scooped up a pitch in the dirt and threw behind Yelich to apparently nab the speedy Gordon. But after a review lasting two minutes and five seconds, the call was overturned and Gordon was ruled safe with his 11th stolen base of the season.

WHAT'S NEXTGiants:Matt Moore (7-7, 4.04 ERA) makes his second start with the Giants on Tuesday at 4:10 p.m. PT. He was solid in his first start with the club, limiting the Phillies to two runs over six innings despite walking a career-high six batters. The left-hander is 1-0 with a 7.36 ERA in two career starts at Marlins Park.

Marlins: Reliable right-hander Tom Koehler (8-8, 4.05 ERA) takes the mound for the Marlins on Tuesday in the middle game of a three-game set with the Giants at 7:10 p.m. ET. Koehler makes his 23rd start of the season, tying Adam Conley for the team high. In his last outing, Koehler went six innings against the Cubs, striking out seven while allowing just five hits and one run in no-decision at Wrigley Field.